Age

A major determining factor in whether breasts sag or not is the elasticity of the skin of the breast. Over time, breast tissue stretches and loses elasticity. This is why women may begin to notice changes in the fullness of their breasts as they get older.

Gravity

In addition, the downward pull of gravity on the body can lead to sagging breasts. This may be especially noticeable in women with particularly large breasts.

Cigarette Use

Smoking has damaging effects on the entire body, but when it comes to sagging, cigarettes can be a significant factor. Smoking can affect the elastin that is present in the body, making it easier for skin to droop and sag.

Weight Gain

Weight gain is common at various points in a woman’s life, such as during pregnancy. However, weight gain can contribute to larger, heavier breasts. In cases of weight fluctuation, where weight is rapidly gained or lost, the skin of the breasts can stretch, leaving unsightly stretch marks that are often a source of insecurity.

Achieve Better Breasts with Surgery

Breast surgery at Plastic Surgery of Virginia Beach is the ideal solution for correcting sagging, pendulous breasts. Depending on your unique needs you may benefit from:

Breast lift: Breast lift surgery is performed to reshape the breasts while lifting them to a more desirable position on the chest. This surgery also results in a decrease in the size of the areola, which is the dark area of skin that surrounds the nipple.

Breast Reduction: For women who experience sagging due to their overly large breasts, reducing the volume of  the breast can dramatically improve their appearance. Excess breast tissue, skin, and fat are eliminated from the breasts, and a new, firmer breast shape is created in the process.

Breast Augmentation: In addition to addressing sagging, some patients may want to improve the size of their breasts as well. In these cases, breast augmentation can provide the desired result. This procedure is one of Dr. Bounds’ many specialties. During the procedure, implants are used to enhance breast volume for a fuller contour.

Schedule a Breast Surgery Consultation with Dr. Bounds

The team at Plastic Surgery of Virginia Beach is eager to help you reveal a beautiful new version of yourself. To help us determine which procedure is best for you, contact us today for a consultation.

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Some women’s post-pregnancy breast anxieties center on issues of sagging, stretching and loss of skin integrity. However, trusted Virginia Beach plastic surgeon Dr. Kevin Bounds has found that this is not always true — many new mothers miss the “fuller” look of the breasts they experienced during the months of nursing their baby. In such cases, breast augmentation or breast lift can restore the feel, form and volume that breastfeeding created.

Northern Exposure

“Upper pole fullness” is the term doctors use to describe a fuller, rounded appearance for the upper hemisphere of the breast. Enhancing upper pole fullness can make breasts appear lifted; even as it creates the curves, contours and dramatic dimensions that are a perfect match for plunging necklines. Dr. Bounds is skilled in recreating this fashionable and natural feel with careful selection and precise placement of breast implants. 

To achieve a successful result, a surgeon must consider the profile of the implant, measured as the ratio between an implant’s width and height. High-profile breast implants extend into the upper breast hemisphere, providing a foundation for greater fullness.

A surgeon must also consider a woman’s natural physique, breast base, chest breadth and even the distance between nipples. A shorter distance is preferred, but improved upper hemisphere fullness is still possible with breasts and nipples that are farther apart. Surgical technique is also key. Depending on the dimensions of the torso, implants may be placed in an elevated position, preferably under the chest muscle.

The Breast Lift Option

If a woman has significant sagging, breast augmentation may not be effective in building upper pole fullness. This is especially true if the nipple position is lower than the inframmammary crease at the base of the breast. In such cases, greater fullness and more attractive cleavage is best achieved with mastopexy, or breast lift.

The goal of breast lift is to reverse sagging and reclaim a natural shape by elevating the breasts on the chest. This more youthful positioning can actually produce the illusion of larger volume, even though the breasts may have slightly decreased in size during the procedure. By improving symmetry and returning low or downward-pointing nipples to a natural appearance, breast lift can greatly improve the breast profile, while creating upper hemisphere fullness that is based on projection and elevation, rather than size.

To learn more about breast surgery options, schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Bounds in his Virginia Beach office by calling or emailing today.

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Breast Augmentation is one procedure women often choose to enhance their figure as it increases or restores breast size using saline or gel implants.  Some of the reasons you might be considering an augmentation are:

• You want a better proportioned or more attractive figure. You believe your breasts are too small and/or you feel self-conscious wearing a bathing suit or low cut tops.
• You want your clothes to fit better. Clothes that fit your hips are too large at your bust-line.
• When pregnancy, weight loss or aging has negatively affected the size and shape of your breast. Your breasts have become smaller or less firm after having children or losing weight.
• To achieve symmetry in your breast if they are different sizes.

What are your choices when considering Breast Augmentation?

One of the most important choices you make in having a breast augmentation procedure is who is to be your plastic surgeon.  Consider the asking the following questions when making your selection, and the answers should all be YES!

• Are you trained specifically in the field of plastic surgery?
• Are you certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery?
• Do you have hospital privileges to perform a breast augmentation?
• Is the office based surgical facility accredited by a national accrediting agency.
• Are you a member of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons?

 Other questions you should be able to have answered are:

• Am I a good candidate for breast augmentation or breast enlargement?
• Where will my procedure be performed?
• What are my implant choices and where will the incisions be?
• Can I review before and after photos of the surgeon’s own patients to review results and see what might be appropriate for me?

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Managing Discomfort

Many women are anxious about the amount of discomfort they might experience after breast enhancement surgery. Fortunately, most are pleasantly surprised that the pain level is not as high as they expect and easily manageable with oral pain medication. To ensure your pain remains manageable, make arrangements to rest and recuperate the first few days by enlisting the help and support of a relative or close friend. The more you can relax in those early days, the better you are likely to feel overall.

Sleeping and Bathing

Sleeping after breast lift surgery should be done on your back or possibly your side. Avoid sleeping on your stomach during the first week or two to prevent additional discomfort and possible interference with the healing process. You may also find it is difficult to raise your hands above your head to wash your hair for the first few days. Be patient, you will be back to your normal bathing routine quicker than you think.

Supporting Healthy Scar Healing

It is important to treat your incisions with extra care in the days following plastic surgery to ensure proper incision healing and minimal scarring. Surgical dressings applied to the area need to be kept clean and dry.  At your first appointment after surgery, those dressings will be removed and you will be given special post-operative garments to wear for a number of weeks.

Keep your incisions out of direct sunlight while they are healing and do not smoke during the recovery process to ensure the best results. Topical products may also be recommended to reduce the amount of visible scarring you experience after your surgery.

Wearing Post-Surgical Garments

When your dressings are removed, you will be given a special support bra that ensures healthy blood flow and proper healing of the area. It is important to wear this garment as instructed by Dr. Bounds. Once you are finished with the support garment, you can switch to your comfortable bras. Avoid underwire bras until Dr. Bounds tells you it is safe to begin wearing them again.

To Find Out More…

Contact Dr. Kevin Bounds at

Phone: 757-496-7373

Address: 1815 Colonial Medical Ct. Virginia Beach, VA 23454

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